Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1887-01-16
FUEL OF THE FUTURE.
A Geologist Commenced the Hunt for
Gas Yesterday Near the City.
What he has to Say on the Subject-Thinks that
Indication, Favorable for this Location
The Company.

The Wichita Mining and Investment COM
pany is doing everything in its power to
commence boring for gas at an early date
They are going at the matter in what is gen
orally considered a business-like way. The
services of Major G. Z. Knapp of Fort Scott
have been secured for making observations
and determining what location presents the
best inducements for gas find The major
commenced work yesterday. He was given
all the data extant from former ventures in
the city and spent some time in taking in
the general contour of the country.
His former experience and study of the
subject lends weight to his assertions. He is
familiar with the gas and oil regions in
northern New York and examined the great
fields in Washington and Butler counties,
Pennsylvania The information gained
there is of value when reaching the west, but
the conditions here under which gas and oil
are found he claims are very different from
those east. He knows this as he asserts
from careful examination of
the question in the eastern and
and southeastern parts of this state and
western Missouri He located the wells at
company of that city.
Last night the major was seen at the Man
haitian hotel, and being questioned concern
ing the probability of gas strike at this
city, stated that so far as he could judge
from one days investigation the indications
were very flattering indeed He stated that
the anti-clines and syn-clines at this point
run from point a little east of southeast to
a point little west of northwest. On the
anti-clines OF course is to be found the gas
if not, the Oil If gas and water are both
present, the oil takes position between
them.
From what he could learn he believed that
the first gas-bearing sand would be found at
a depth of four hundred and fifty feet. He
had some specimens of the same and its por
osity is such as makes it good reservoir. He
had heard from the parties who had sunk a
former well near the city and learned that
the sand was nearly thirty feet thick
The second sand he believed to be at this
point about one hundred feet below the
first. He could give no idea as to its thick
ness or quality or in fact it is not
positively known that that formation is
developed in this section. The drill alone
furnishes positive information. The inform
as that of the second. 1t is generally in this
state located about eleven hundred feet be-
low the surface. Frequently, however, this
sand is undeveloped, but the Major is in
clined to think that the first and second are
present in this locality.
The gas and Oil bearing sands as stated by
Mr.. Knapp are not as coarse as in the cast
ern fields They are sufficiently porous,
however, in bis opinion. to serve as a lasting
The five wells at Fort Scott fur
nish from forty to sixty pounds of pressure
to the square inch. The leading hotels and
many of the private residences are lighted
by it while it is also used in the stoves and
CRATES.
In speaking of the question of
locating a well in this city the major stat
was not sufficiently near the anti-clnai axis
to give flow of gas. The question was to
know how far to 90 northeast or southwest
of that point in order to reach the desired
spot. He thought that two or three wells
would have to be sunk before any definite
could be gained of the earth
waves. He was confident that the desired
article could be found near the city, but
feared that the company would be given
some trouble and no little expense in find
ing it.
At meeting of the board of directors held
last night at the Manhattan Major Knapp
was elected members of the board. The
is the board of directors: Z. J.
Beattie president, l. I. Ewing vice president
and auditor, j. Z. Davis secretary, f. Girard
treasurer, J. F. Shearman, Major e. 2.
Knapp, ". A Richey, Q. c. Daisy and L.
F. Sherwood.
Major Knapp leaves this evening for Fort
Scott His work of locating the wells at this
city has just commenced. He will return in
4 few days and make a thorough examina-
ton.